NO USB booting in UEFI?

Forums › Linux › NO USB booting in UEFI?

stuartjmz

228 posts

Master Geek
+1 received by user: 9

#112166 28-Nov-2012 14:04

I'm posting this in the Linux forum because it relates to my attempts to use a bootable USB stick with OpenSuse 12.2 on it - full details here:

https://forums.opensuse.org/english/get-technical-help-here/install-boot-login/480957-cant-boot-usb-win-7-a.html

Basically it seems that I have no ability to boot from my 16GB USB stick - the UEFI BIOS doesn't see the device and insists I have only two boot options - DVD drive or HDD. The stick works just fine in my Acer laptop - its BIOS allows me to seet the boot order to boot from the stick and everything's peachy there. Here are couple of the relevant screenshots from my BIOS, taken with the bootable USB stick installed:

BIOS boot order

Hard Drive BBS Priorities Menu

disabled?

Behodar

11095 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 6074

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#724201 28-Nov-2012 14:13

On my system I can't select the drive inside the "setup app" but need to open the boot menu (F12 in my case). I guess it doesn't actually scan for bootable volumes until a bit later into the boot sequence.

stuartjmz

228 posts

Master Geek
+1 received by user: 9

#724206 28-Nov-2012 14:24

Behodar: On my system I can't select the drive inside the "setup app" but need to open the boot menu (F12 in my case). I guess it doesn't actually scan for bootable volumes until a bit later into the boot sequence.

Thanks for the suggestion - it turns out that F8 is the boot menu key for my PC, but even that only brings up this screen:

alexx

867 posts

Ultimate Geek
+1 received by user: 291

#724209 28-Nov-2012 14:30

Might depend on who makes the UEFI BIOS. With my Gigabyte GA-Z77-D3H it supports "Legacy" booting - meaning it will boot PC-BIOS bootable devices such as SYSLINUX bootable USB sticks.

But even if you don't have that "Legacy" boot support, you should still be able to boot a USB stick as long as that USB stick has:

a. One FAT32 filesystem.
b. That FAT32 filesystem is marked as bootable.
c. That FAT32 filesystem contains a UEFI bootloader such as GRUB-efi.

In other words, in that bootable USB stick, you should have the GRUB-efi bootloader saved as:

/EFI/boot/bootx64.efi

Then of course you need the grub config file:

/EFI/boot/grub.cfg

This is for x64 architecture of course. If you want to see an example, then take a look at gparted-live which can be booted three ways:

1. From CDROM using isolinux
2. From USB using syslinux (pc-BIOS/Legacy support).
3. From USB using GRUB-efi.

http://gparted.sourceforge.net/download.php

Of course, it could be that some vendors UEFI implementation is just weird or horribly broken.

#include <standard.disclaimer>

stuartjmz

228 posts

Master Geek
+1 received by user: 9

#724216 28-Nov-2012 14:39

alexx: Might depend on who makes the UEFI BIOS. With my Gigabyte GA-Z77-D3H it supports "Legacy" booting - meaning it will boot PC-BIOS bootable devices such as SYSLINUX bootable USB sticks.

But even if you don't have that "Legacy" boot support, you should still be able to boot a USB stick as long as that USB stick has:

a. One FAT32 filesystem.
b. That FAT32 filesystem is marked as bootable.
c. That FAT32 filesystem contains a UEFI bootloader such as GRUB-efi.

In other words, in that bootable USB stick, you should have the GRUB-efi bootloader saved as:

/EFI/boot/bootx64.efi

Then of course you need the grub config file:

/EFI/boot/grub.cfg

This is for x64 architecture of course. If you want to see an example, then take a look at gparted-live which can be booted three ways:

1. From CDROM using isolinux
2. From USB using syslinux (pc-BIOS/Legacy support).
3. From USB using GRUB-efi.

http://gparted.sourceforge.net/download.php

Of course, it could be that some vendors UEFI implementation is just weird or horribly broken.

Wow, thanks! My UEFI says that USB Legacy support is "Enabled", but clearly something's not right with it. I will check out gparted later and see if helps. Thanks again

gzt

18679 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 7819

Lifetime subscriber

#724231 28-Nov-2012 15:19

Is this your board? http://uk.asus.com/Motherboards/Intel_Socket_1155/P8P67/#download

If so there are several bios releases since your current bios. One says 'increase usb compatibility'. That could mean anything, but have a look at the latest bios and revision notes for your platform.

Gparted route seems like a better path to take initially.

stuartjmz

228 posts

Master Geek
+1 received by user: 9

#724253 28-Nov-2012 15:57

gzt: Is this your board? http://uk.asus.com/Motherboards/Intel_Socket_1155/P8P67/#download

If so there are several bios releases since your current bios. One says 'increase usb compatibility'. That could mean anything, but have a look at the latest bios and revision notes for your platform.

Gparted route seems like a better path to take initially.

Yes, thanks, that's my board. This little experiment has already eaten up my day, so I won't be flashing my BIOS until work's wrapped in a week or two.

Dell

Shop now for Dell laptops and other devices (affiliate link).

CYaBro

4708 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 1182

ID Verified

Trusted

#724283 28-Nov-2012 16:28

Have you looked in the Hard Drive BBS Priorities menu option as the USB sticks usually show up as a hard drive.

Opinions are my own and not the views of my employer.

stuartjmz

228 posts

Master Geek
+1 received by user: 9

#724301 28-Nov-2012 17:05

CYaBro: Have you looked in the Hard Drive BBS Priorities menu option as the USB sticks usually show up as a hard drive.

The 2nd screenshot in my first post is actually labelled "Hard Drive BBS Priorities Menu"

spacedog

496 posts

Ultimate Geek
+1 received by user: 62

#725267 30-Nov-2012 18:09

Have you tried different USB ports? If you are plugged into a USB 3.0 port, try swapping to a USB 2.0 port.